The Himalayas are the youngest and highest fold mountains in the world. In India they stretch for about 2,400 km from Jammu & Kashmir in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. In competitive exams, questions usually test the parallel ranges, their height and the features found between them.
The three parallel ranges
| Range | Other name | Average height | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Himalaya | Himadri, Inner Himalaya | About 6,000 m | Most continuous range; highest peaks such as Kangchenjunga and Nanda Devi; source of many glaciers |
| Lesser Himalaya | Himachal, Middle Himalaya | 3,700–4,500 m | Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar and Mahabharat ranges; hill stations like Shimla and Mussoorie |
| Shiwalik | Outer Himalaya | 900–1,100 m | Outermost and youngest range made of unconsolidated sediments |
Duns and valleys
Longitudinal valleys lying between the Lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are called duns, for example Dehradun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun.
Trans-Himalaya
North of the Greater Himalaya lie the Trans-Himalayan ranges such as the Karakoram, Ladakh and Zaskar. K2 (Godwin-Austen, 8,611 m) in the Karakoram is the second-highest peak in the world.
Important passes
- Zoji La – connects Srinagar and Leh
- Shipki La – Himachal Pradesh, on the Sutlej route to Tibet
- Nathu La – Sikkim, old trade route to Tibet
Quick revision points
- Highest peak located in India: Kangchenjunga (8,586 m).
- Highest peak in the world: Mount Everest (8,849 m), in Nepal.
- Order from north to south: Greater Himalaya → Lesser Himalaya → Shiwalik.